A conventionally known technique for diagnosing, for example, a hernia of lumbar intervertebral disc using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus executes cross-sectional imaging concerning the hernia along the intervertebral disc. A technique called multi-angle and multi-scan method is normally used for such cross-sectional imaging along the intervertebral disc. In the case of imaging according to this technique, for a preparatory stage thereof, a sagittal image of vertebrae of an object is obtained in advance as an image for positioning, and a large number of slices (slice areas) are set on the sagittal image. Scanning of the set slices is executed according to the multi-angle and multi-scan method, whereby tomographic images of the set slices are obtained.
In clinical photographing of a hernia of intervertebral disc, a plurality of slice areas that are adjacent and substantially parallel to each other along the intervertebral disc are further set in order to observe upward/downward development of the hernia of intervertebral disc. Note that a group of such a plurality of slice areas that are adjacent and substantially parallel to each other is hereinafter referred to as slab area. An operator sets in advance a slice condition including a slice thickness, a slice interval (gap), and the number of slices of each slice area in the slab area, and sets a position of the slab area using an image for positioning.
In the case where a plurality of slab areas are set on an imaging condition editing screen, in principle, if one slice condition is set, the set slice condition is applied to the plurality of slab areas.
In a disclosed MRI apparatus, a slab area is set on the basis of two points that are specified by an operator on an image for positioning, and in the set slab area, slice areas according to a slice condition specified in advance are adjacently placed substantially parallel to each other.
The conventional art includes the case where a plurality of slab areas are set at one imaging position (site), that is, the case where a second slab area is additionally set after setting of a first slab area. In this case, an operator's operation is complicated if the operator desires to alter a slice condition in the second slab area from a slice condition that are set in advance for the setting of the first slab area. Specifically, if the operator desires to alter the slice condition in the second slab area from the slice condition that was set in advance for the setting of the first slab area, the operator needs to return to the imaging condition editing screen and make an operation to alter the slice condition, after the setting of the first slab area.
The conventional art also includes the case where a slab area is set for each imaging position, that is, the case where a slab area of a second imaging position is additionally set after setting of a slab area of a first imaging position. Similarly in this case, the operator's operation is complicated. Specifically, if the operator desires to alter the slice conditions in the slab area of the second imaging position from the slice conditions that are set in advance for the setting of the slab area of the first imaging position, because slice conditions different for each imaging position are not able to be set, the operator needs to return to the imaging condition editing screen and make an operation to alter the slice conditions, after the setting of the slab area of the first imaging position.
In addition, according to the conventional art, in the case where a plurality of slice areas according to a slice condition are not able to fall within a slab area set on an image for positioning, the operator needs to make an operation of, for example, changing the set slab area, and this puts a burden on the operator.